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Three best buddies - Rhys Darby, Dan Schreiber, and Leon 'Buttons' Kirkbeck bring you The Cryptid Factor - a podcast dedicated to all things weird that are yet to be defined by science.

Since 2008 they have passionately (and often awkwardly) been discussing 'cryptids' and monsters like Yeti, Chupacabra, Bigfoot and Nessie - as well as weird news of the world, UFO's, Time travellers, robots and space stuff. Though they take these pseudo-sciences as seriously as they can, they struggle to take themselves seriously at all.

Hosted by comedian and actor Rhys Darby, star of top rating podcast 'No Such Thing as a Fish' Dan Schreiber - and Pulling it all together is their best friend, 'Buttons'. If anything goes wrong, it is probably his fault.

www.thecryptidfactor.com

The Cryptid Factor

The Cryptid Factor

Comedy Interviews

86 episodes / 2.18M listens

89: #089 The 2nd First Issue

Well, here we are in 2024 - and while we wait for Ep88 to become hot enough to drop... we have for you here the second recorded episode to be released first (in typical Cryptid Factor confused fashion!) In it you'll find news of disappearing towers, Uri Geller blowing his own mind by remembering he saw aliens, lots of bugs up a Florida mans nose, a big cat sighted in Scotland and a Big Foot run...

1hr • Mar 04, 2024

87: #87 The Late Night Issue

In the last of the 'All Together in LA' series, Rhys kindly pops back from one of his many other dimensions to join a very tired Dan and Buttons in the task of stringing sentences together. In here you'll find an (almost) concise history of a Giant Rock and the people that lived under it, a dead Vampire lair dug up, a billionaire blood junkie, some taxidermied bird drones and some seagull and h...

1hr 25m • Dec 22, 2023

86: #86 The Unforgettable Issue

Hot on the heels of the last old episode, this new old episode is jam packed full of ancient chat… mainly about Button’s ancient (and very legal) ayahuasca ceremony, some ancient tree breasts, and Dan correctly predicting how long it would take to get this ancient episode out. Outside of that hot mess, there’s also scantily-clad deer-lickers, excited Swiftie forgetfulness, ejaculating nets, Ins...

1hr 27m • Nov 28, 2023

85: #085 The Yay or Nay Issue

The team are in Hollywood together and have organised a playdate with Oscar, Emmy and Grammy award winning film composer George Michael! (formerly known as Michael Giacchino). Also, seeing as Aliens won’t get out of the news of late, this is an Alien Special - with news of 8ft non-humans driving front-end loaders, loads of big UFO words in Congress, Highways performing cattle mutilations, a wom...

1hr 26m • Nov 09, 2023

84: #84 The Backpack Issue

And we’re back! It’s been a long time since Mothers day, but it’s finally out! In here you’ll get some camouflage chaos, some screaming plants, and a tiny crypto-museum that gets huge ‘shribe-reveal’! We also got some box creature with too many eyes, a squatch safe zone, a giant killer tadpole and AI trying to kill the patty film buzz. Oh, and our old mate ‘Old Bond’ tries to make an expensive ...

1hr 10m • Jul 14, 2023

83: #083 The Dusty Old Brain Stairwell Issue

Prepare yourself for this one. Not only is it packed full of all your usual Mammoth Meatballs, Ketchup Elvis hunters, Turkey Claus, Wolf-Tang Clams, Roast Beef Mothman, Bigfoot bathing, Mothership full of Alien Drones and a terrified son of Buttons... but we also get a rare peek inside Rhys' head to meet all the characters that live in there and try to make it work... and fail! Oh, and Harvard ...

1hr 27m • Apr 26, 2023

82: #082 The Just Not Great Issue

At last the world has a chance to hear Episode 82 - although will they really want to? Despite being filled to the brim with Bear faces on Mars, Mystery Sausages in mailboxes, Predictable Asparagus Fortune-tellers, an Eyewitness Account of a Mothman sighting (complete with homemade spooky music)... it's just... well, not great. You be the judge!

1hr • Mar 07, 2023

81: #081 The Artificial Xmas Issue

It's Christmas Eve and the team have managed to squeeze in one last session for 2022 - and despite Buttons trying to make this issue edit free to get it out for Christmas day... somehow edits became the main feature! In here we have for you a Cryptid Christmas Carol which sees Sasquatch Clause wreaking havoc. There's a UOP with a WWI Rocket up his de-militarised zone, nativity cows escaping dow...

1hr 21m • Jan 05, 2023

80: #080 The Irreversible Issue

Well here we go again! This epically long 80th episode sees the Intro become an outro, Buttons Theory Time become a right royal tea-bagging, there’s a creepy UFV and a USV, Deadpool is busy killing fish, there’s a reincarnated octopus as a football fortune-telling ferret, there’s a hunt for a big bird, Jeremy the Sasquatch ghost clown has been spotted, Vocalisations makes a comeback… then there...

1hr 33m • Dec 09, 2022

79: #079 The Interrupted Issue (part 2)

At last, you get to hear how the interruption was concluded! Was it worth the wait? Hmmmm, that's a tricky one. Are you into Krodel Park Shuttle services? Extant Tasmanian Tigers? Short-legged Bigfoot? Canoe hire taxidermy? Then perhaps it is! Also, Dan's book is out (Yay!) and Buttons revolts against Rhys' attempt to keep his editing to schedule. Hence the massive delay in getting this to you....

33m • Oct 16, 2022

78: #078 The Interrupted Issue (part 1)

This incomplete issue is completely full of complete madness - including Nostradamus and his snow globes, Haunted books evaporating, Rumpology reports in, LA jetpack balloons, some Pulitzer surprises, a dead robot spider and Aliens going through trash caught on camera. Also, Dan writes Rhys's book of wisdom and Buttons records from his Moms (haunted) house. Total incomplete Madness - Part 2 to ...

56m • Sep 20, 2022

77: #77 The Knobs Issue

This episode has one more Knob that usual - who finds himself in prison with Rhys! Also Dan gets his butt read and Buttons rides a horse in his past life. Theres also peanuts pushed up hills, old Japanese men doing not much and a time-traveler's warning of trap-doors. There's big 'plausible' Cryptid news thats got the team excited too! *NEW SEGMENT ALERT* Fan Files! Where we lucky-dip-pick stor...

1hr 16m • Aug 13, 2022

76: #076 The Stood Up Issue

Buttons and an exhausted Rhys are in Boston after his tour - so for this episode Rhys decides to take a back seat... or at least he tries to. But with Dan trying to chat to a tarot reading president's granddaughter, a seagull attacking a fishing coach, the NZ public watching poop, 2 x new moon craters, 2 x astrophysicists, lots more Stranger synchronicity Things and a 'That's a recap' and 'Butt...

1hr 13m • Jul 12, 2022

75: #075 The Loud and Vocal No Issue

In here there's animals scared of fruit, UFO hunters hunting doors, Alien hunters (possibly) hearing signals from space and an old black knight that's a long way from hoooooome. Also Rhys has news of a dead giant tuna, Buttons is angry at a newspaper and Dan launches a mission to bring back an Australian Elephant man. Oh, and Henry Hotspur... you get some preemptive (and possibly unwanted) spon...

59m • Jul 08, 2022

74: #074 The Padding Issue

In this issue Buttons gives his masterclass on padding - which is so good that even the internet takes up the skill. There's busy exorcists and satan himself rating apps, Mona Lisa gets cake on her face and Rhys gets a LinkedIn. Also in this ep - Dolphins don't get memories from dolphin-piss, whales do get mistaken for monsters by showing their bits and Buttons don't want you to buy his old Ali...

1hr 14m • Jun 27, 2022

73: #073 The Synchronicity Issue

This issue is packed with synchronous happenings at the Erich Von Däniken and Sphinx Eyes magnitude! Buttons shares a long story about a short visit to a UFO symposium where he encountered a Loyal Brown Pet in a beat up Porsche. There's news of robot goo, robot goats and robot cryptid food deliveries. Also - Rhys has reports of a Turkey sighting from a Squatch hunter, Dan's found a video of Cou...

1hr 20m • Jun 20, 2022

72: #072 The Alleged Issue

Aaaaaaaaand we're back!!! This episode begins with a recap on xmas presents then quickly moves onto old pubs closing, spoon benders PR attempts, artefacts found in ice caves in Antartica, fish driving cars and making 90's techno noises.... and hitchhiking dogs (allegedly). Also, Rhys and Buttons make a plea to be adopted by Dans dreaming Dad, there's a tree swinging Aussie Dogman, a psychic W...

1hr 5m • Jun 13, 2022

71: #071 The Belated Christmas Issue

Due to Buttons being busy having a southern hemisphere summer holiday, this Christmas special clearly is well late (which he apologies for profusely) but it's worth the wait - not least due to the amazing ____________*1 as well as the ____________*2! In here you'll find news on time travelers from Mars, theoretically Anthrax ridden conspiracy theorists and auto-replicating Pacman-esque xenobo...

1hr 8m • Jan 12, 2022

70: #070 The Pick-a-Path Issue

Welcome to Ep 70 where we try and 'choose our own adventure' through segments and end up picking a bad path. No doubt you'll find yourself just as confused and lost as we were. In the mess we somehow manage to cover multi-crash planes, almost crashed ISS space station, recaps on birds and marriages, a UK bigfoot and the hatching of decades old dormant underground shrimp eggs. Also, Dan levels-u...

1hr 7m • Dec 07, 2021

69: #069 The Challenging Issue

We're back! After a long break from the shortest season ever (of 1 episode), we bring you EP 69 where you'll find a bunch of terribly challenging awards, hippos challenged to be human and a magic museum thats a challenge to find. There's also challenging news of Nessie sonars and Mamophants. To be quite honest though, the most challenged things in this ep are simply the three rusty hosts. Thank...

57m • Nov 12, 2021

68: #068 The Come Back Special - Bumper Issue

An incredible 'Schreiber Unveil' was meant to see this episode be all about the phenom of ‘Past Life Experiences’, but as per usual, we just couldn't stay on task - so now this episode also includes the art of 'No Blink' and 'Light Cry' acting, Coast Guards with hamster wheel problems, and experts who will never reply to Buttons ever again. Oh, and some zombie fish and stolen penises thrown in ...

1hr 31m • Sep 15, 2021

67: #067 The Buzz Bingo Issue

Ep 67 has some great finds in it - Dan finds the Alien Sex capital of the UK, Rhys finds a nazi tank in a basement, and Buttons finds the elevator service hut in Superman's Building. We also shoe-horn in a Jet-pack Re-cap, a Fairy/Theory Time, a Rapisode Sandwich and a Sci-fi Robot Rangers Prequel - before the 'quel' is even quelled!

59m • Aug 10, 2021

66: #066 The Quoting Issue

In this ramshackled episode, Rhys fails to deliver Rapisodes, Dan fails in health and Buttons fails to be articulate. Also you'll find a kidnapped Nanna raised by Monkeys, AI Robots meeting Aliens, and Elon predictions from 1953. Also a Bigfoot crossing a river carrying a deer or two babies and a big(ish) cat let loose by a pig buddy. Enjoy!

1hr 13m • Jul 29, 2021

65: #65 The Missing Pigeons Issue

Welcome to episode 65, where we're lucky Rhys is present due to self inflicted partying - and lucky Dan is alive due to self inflicted poisoning! Also in this ep you'll discover 50 pilot sky-spider collectors, lots of lost pigeons, an eating restrictor/ventriloquism training device and we find prehistoric man Dennis Oven in a Chinese well! Also Loch Less news and a spooky Slenderman in India. O...

50m • Jul 13, 2021

64: #064 The UAP Report Issue

Welcome to the UAP Report special edition. This episode was recorded live as the Pentagon released it's long awaited report on the UFO/UAP situation - and as you'd rightly imagine, we cover the report with delft professionalism and deep insight - Dan even reports live from Buckingham Palace to check if the Queen comments! Also in this ep - Rapisode 5 (yay!), invisible sculptures, a real life Ta...

55m • Jun 28, 2021

63: #063 The Paradox Issue

Episode 63 is here at last! 'Rapisode 4' kicks it all off with an almighty bang, closely followed by Rhys telling tales of Whales eating Lobstermen, Dan teaching superhuman 'Batman' skills, and Buttons paradoxing his way to no friends. Lots of exciting (and global!) Bigfoot news to boot!

1hr 11m • Jun 22, 2021

62: #062 The IIVI Issue

In this jammed-packed, over-time issue we kick off with the next ep of the Rapisodes. Then Rhys gets an annoying internets service inserted in his head - then Dan gets a haunted book - then Buttons brings joystick monkeys. Then we hear of over-loved chandeliers, fireproof artwork fire-suits, misplaced space trees and cryptid croissants. We then get a small tease of a big cat hunt and an importa...

1hr 13m • May 01, 2021

61: #061 The Other Podcasts Issue

Well, If you hoping this show wouldn't get any more chaotic - then we have some bad news for you. In here Rhys busts out the worlds first Rapisode, Dan gets fooled by a Schnart, a Badger and a River Walrus, and Buttons reveals his get rich quick scheme - painfully slowly. Theres also intel on how to become immortal, a Squatch thumb bone under a rug in a river, an Uncle skeletal guitar, and ques...

1hr 8m • Apr 14, 2021

60: #060 The Long Dong Issue

Well, it was only a matter of time that the show went to the gutter and the guys started resorting to toilet humor, and sadly, this show is it - though apparently it's all in the name of science(!!). Outside of that nonsense, there's also some normal nonsense - like glowing mermaids, a new 'official' Loch Ness sighting, a Mothman sighted on Google Maps, and some new lifeforms sighted in the spa...

57m • Mar 29, 2021

59: #059 The Poignancy Issue

In this jam-packed issue; Rhys has mic issues which leads to news stealing and a new branch on the 'Poignancy Tree'. Ships in the sea start flying and Slugs in the Sea lead to a new proverb (and possibly a new tee-shirt). All this plus super fresh alien big cat news, increases in Bigfoot bounty and Rhys reads old fan mail. Phewf!

1hr 6m • Mar 15, 2021

58: #058 The Pitakinesis Issue

This week there's the usual stolen Alligator heads and space news... but the REAL highlight in this issue - Rhys brings back the long lost art of Pitakinesis with an actual live on-air *science* experiment!! Also, with Tasmanian Tiger photos jamming up the internet, we actual get to discussing actual Cryptozoology on a show about Cryptids! Will the wonders actual ever cease?

47m • Mar 06, 2021

57: #057 The Birthday Issue

Well, It's a very special day at the Cryptid Factor! Firstly, we're back from a wee summer break, secondly a Mars rover landed, and lastly and leastly... it's Buttons Birthday! To celebrate, Rhys brings his Grandad along, Dan brings many diversion facts, Buttons brings his new birthday floral shirt. Also in this issue - Nasa gets its rover stolen, Blackholes get blacker, Blackpool gets an Ancie...

1hr 12m • Feb 25, 2021

56: #056 The Utter Chaos Issue

Just as the title says - this has to be the messiest, most chaos ridden episode in quite some time. Arguments about re-caps, pre-caps and updates, disagreements about a cat being a dog or a cat-dog... oh and Buttons gets kicked off the Internet and is relegated to a privileged listener. Also, more on the monolith craze, retired Israeli security chiefs giving the goss on UFOs and the dying art o...

1hr 16m • Dec 20, 2020

55: #055 The Ho Ho Ho Issue

It's Ep 55! Where Rhys steals monolith news, Dan speaks of pole vaulting defectors and Buttons brings the tone down with sad satellite dish news. Also, you'll learn about a never to be seen cryptid exhibition; hear about an incessantly muffled Santa; and enjoy yet more Bigfoot braiding! Yay!

1hr 2m • Dec 01, 2020

54: #054 The Unedited Issue

With Rhys busy selling his books (Buttons McGinty vol3 *OUT NOW*), Buttons busy learning to speak and Dan busy in lockdown, the team have been struggling to get episode 54 out. To solve this, the team attempt to do this episode 'unedited' for better or (possibly more likely) worse. Outside of the normally omitted mess, they also talk about underwater escapes from FBI, Lasers on Jetplanes, silly...

1hr 8m • Nov 21, 2020

53: #053 The Blunder Issue

Welcome to Ep 53. In here you'll discover a whale eating canoes, Bear-scaring cyborg wolves, 3 men bullied in a tumble dryer, and some celebrity UFO sightings. Also, Rhys does some blunder deconstruction, Dan updates his Poltergeist haunting and Buttons gets a rare taste of fame - along with a new podcast! Plus - listen out for some very limited offers from Mike's Universe Cars!!

58m • Nov 09, 2020

52: #052 The Halloween Issue

Welcome to the Cryptid Factors first ever Halloween Special! And given how it all went, it may well just be the last! Rhys, Dan and Buttons bring you a *true* spooky story each, which includes a Vampire, a W*ndigo and Poltergeist. We dare you to see if you can get through the utter scariness of it all (let alone the total messiness)! Also a bonus treat of some NZ based cryptid news and we revis...

1hr 3m • Oct 31, 2020

51: #051 The Tongue Biting Issue

Well, it's episode 51, and just like the Area after the same name, this episode is a real enigma. Rhys has a LA Jet-packing Mothman, Dan has a brand new yet historically exclusive interview with actor, thespian and explorer Brian Blessed, and Buttons has a fat tongue. Also in this ep, there's 4G on the moon, a Drummer goes to hell and back and a Mothman doco gets released.

1hr 7m • Oct 23, 2020

49: #049 The 7 Issue

In an exciting run of 7 episodes in a row, Rhys is enjoying living life as a 7 year old in a Lockdown hotel/prison. We celebrate our 7th patreoner and get excited about the 7th Nessie sighting this year, whilst Dan and Buttons argue over whose news of 7 musical notes is the longest (and enjoy testing the patience of Rhys in the process). All these fun 7's and more... so get amongst it!

53m • Oct 06, 2020

50: #050 The Fifty Issue

Guys! We made it halfway to a century! To celebrate, Dan helps the us rise in the rankings, Rhys starts modeling, and Buttons sneaks in super star special guest BENEE! You'll also find swearing parrots, a Nessie the size of a bus and the shape of a log, a Yowie poo on a termite mound, board games played with the dead and a Rat metal detector who gets a medal. Yay!

1hr 1m • Oct 05, 2020

48: #048 The Segmented Issue

In a vain attempt to be helpful, Buttons creates his first (and hopefully last) segment. Also covered in this chaotic ep: an explosive fly swatting experience, some snake swallowing surgery, taxidermied high fives, and a sighting (and a shooting) of New Zealand's own ABC's!

50m • Sep 20, 2020

47: #047 The Qualm Issue

Here we go again - The Cryptid Factor team on a roll! This ep sees qualms raised, jetpack conga-lines, kite flying 3 year olds, Bigfoot shooting uncles, Benny Hill Flat Earthers - oh and not to mention we talk with 'X-Files - The Official Archives' author Paul Terry!

56m • Sep 13, 2020

46: #046 The Babygrow hat issue

Wow! One full earth month of weekly podcasting consistency - and to celebrate we have a big visual announcement! Plus: Zombie carwashes, stinky sea monsters, Croyden cat killer exclusives, Bigfoot horse braiding, Tiny marionette robot doctor swallowing, Buttons reveals his shed in a shed... oh, and Dan wears a baby grow as a hat. How much bizarreness can you handle? **NEW SEGMENT ALERT - 3-Way...

59m • Sep 06, 2020

45: #045 The Thought Train issue

This packed episode sees Dan regale us with the mystical beginnings of the Cryptid Factor theme tune, whilst Rhys misses the Thought Train and Buttons cracks the mystery of the stolen Ninja safe! All this along with messing with Mozzie DNA, Nessie hunt results, ET sponges, ancient Cryptozoology and London under threat of losing its ravens!

51m • Aug 24, 2020

44: #044 Season 15, Episode 2

In a vain attempt to be more dependable and regular, the CryptidFactor team bring you another episode in just outside a week! Packed with Wizard apologies, Mars enabling Chernobyl Fungi, Ice ships in the Arctic, Baseball hero RV excursions, deflated croissants and a fair amount of Hasselhoff hassles!

49m • Aug 17, 2020

43: #043 The Returning Issue

... and we are back!!! Just like the proverbial Phoenix from the fire, our three cryptid adventurers have risen back to the airwaves at a time when the world seems like it needs a little weird more than ever before. Tune in for retiring Cats and Wizards, a swinging squatch, a thieving hog, and much more!

57m • Aug 10, 2020

42: #042 The Time Travel Issue

Here we go again! In this episode, Rhys time travels to wake Buttons up in the future to save him from his own voice (!). You'll also hear tales of Alien disclosing Presidents, a 'close call' with a phone and an arrow, a crim caught in the nude, a time traveling shoulder tap savior, a Mantis Man recall, as well as a 3-year old saved by a friendly Squatch... what more could you want?

1hr 4m • Apr 04, 2019

41: #041 The Fairy Issue

Wow - Haven't you been patient?! This episode comes to you direct from the far distant past - and has been in editing limbo on Buttons' laptop for quite some time. But at last - here it is. The Cryptid Factor's Fairy Special! Probably don't need to say anymore - apart, perhaps, from the fact that old James Bond makes multiple appearances!!! Whhhaaaat??? Enjoy... please?!

59m • Feb 25, 2019

40: #040 The Yowie Issue

Wow-wee! this episode is(almost) all about the Yowie! We delve into Australia's big hairy hominid - and hear some chilling accounts of close encounters (told by some great aussie accents!). Also, Rhys surprises us all by going pro with Darby's Disclosures, some guy makes a UFO landing pad and the Notice Board gets personal. Enjoy!

54m • Oct 03, 2018

38: #038 The Monologue Issue

Welcome to yet another episode of the Cryptidfactor! As well as being peppered with the odd monologue, you'll find this one fill to the brim with hairy sea monsters, Chinese lake monsters, gollum hunting moose and robots that are solving our childhood puzzles. Also inside this issue Bermuda Triangle's secrets revealed! (then Bermuda Triangle's secrets un-revealed just shortly after they were re...

51m • Aug 16, 2018

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